21. But, says
some one, “Are these things to be understood of the Lord? Could
the Lord be held prisoner by men and dragged to judgment?” Of
this also the same Prophet shall convince you. For he says, “The
Lord Himself shall come into judgment with the elders and princes of
the people.”33123312Isa. iii. 14 The Lord is
judged then according to the Prophet’s testimony, and not only
judged, but scourged, and smitten on the face with the palms (of
men’s hands), and spitted on, and suffers every insult and
indignity for our sake. And because all who should hear these things
preached by the Apostles would be perfectly amazed, therefore also the
Prophet speaking in their person exclaims, “Lord, who hath
believed our report?”33133313Isa. liii. 1 For it is
incredible that God, the Son of God, should be spoken of and preached
as having suffered these things. For this reason they are foretold by
the Prophets, lest any doubt should spring up in those who are about to
believe. Christ the Lord Himself therefore in His own person,
552says, “I
gave My back to the scourges, and My cheeks to the palms,33143314Ραπίσματα, LXX. I turned not away My face from shame
and spitting.”33153315Isa. l. 6 This also is
written among His other sufferings, that they bound Him, and led Him
away to Pilate. This also the Prophet foretold, saying, “And they
bound him and conducted Him as a pledge of friendship (xenium)
to King Jarim.”33163316Hos. x. 6 But some one
objects, “But Pilate was not a king.” Hear then what the
Gospel relates next, “Pilate hearing that He was from Galilee,
sent Him to Herod, who was king in Israel at that time.”33173317Luke xxiii. 6,
7 And rightly does the Prophet add the
name “Jarim,” which means “a wild-vine, for Herod was
not of the house of Israel, nor of that Israelitish vine which the Lord
had brought out of Egypt, and “planted in a very fruitful
hill,”33183318Isa. v. 1 but was a wild vine, i.e. of an
alien stock. Rightly, therefore, was he called “a
wild-vine,” because he in nowise sprung from the shoots of the
vine of Israel. And whereas the Prophet used the phrase
“xenium,” “A pledge of friendship,” this
also corresponds, “For Herod and Pilate,” as the Gospel
witnesses, “from being enemies were made friends,”33193319Luke xxiii.
12 and, as though in token of their
reconciliation, each sent Jesus bound to the other. What matter, so
long as Jesus, as Saviour, reconciles those who were at variance, and
restores peace, and also brings back concord! Wherefore of this also it
is written in Job, “May the Lord reconcile the hearts of the
princes of the earth.”33203320Job xii. 24Διαλλάσσων, LXX.